Preheating means for internal combustion engines



Feb. 23, 1965 J. M. SUKALA 3,171,015

PREHEATING MEANS FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed March 14, 1961 2Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG 2 FIG I FIG4 I FIG3 INVENTOR.

JOHN M. SU KALA Feb. 23, 1965 J. M. SUKALA 3,171,016

PREHEATING MEANS FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed March 14, 1961 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

JO HN M. SUKALA United States Patent Ofl1C 3,171,016 Patented Feb. 23,1965 3,171,016 PREIIEATING MEANS FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES John M.Sukala, 55 Institute Place, Bridgeton, NJ. Filed Mar. 14, 1961, Ser. No.95,543 1 Claim. (Cl. 219-208) This invention relates to preheating meansfor internal combustion engines of the water cooled type.

One of the major problems in operating trucks and other vehicles havinginternal combustion engines, for instance Diesel engines, is the problemof cold weather starting. At very low temperatures it is well known thatthe engine oil tends to solidify and also that batteries are at lowefliciency at low temperature. These conditions result in very hardstarting of engines at low temperatures which results in inconvenience,delay and wearing out of batteries and starters. Also starting enginesat a low temperature where the oil is not properly circulating causesincreased engine wear.

The present invention solves these difliculties by preheating the waterin the engine block by inserting an immersion type electric water heaterinto the engine block. Suitable means are provided for connecting thewater heater into a convenient aperture in the engine block, forinstance, the conventional core plug opening may be used. Theinstallation is a permanent one and may be left in the engine at alltimes. During cold weather the water heater would be plugged into asource of electricity when the vehicle is parked overnight or for anylength of time so that the water in the engine and therefore the engineblock itself will be maintained at a reasonably warm temperature whichwill result in positive, quick starting. It has been found that a 1000watt water heater will raise the temperature of a typical Diesel engine80 or 90 F. in two or three hours. The heater should be inserted as lowas possible in the system as hot water rises.

One of the problems in installations of this type is to make sure thatthere is a good seal between the inserted heater and the engine block sothat there will be no leakage of water. Also the heater should notextend more than a few inches from the engine block so that it will notimpede mechanical work on the engine.

Accordingly, a principal object of the present invention is to providenew and improved preheating means for internal combustion engines.

Another object of the invention is to provide new and improved means forcold weather starting of internal combustion engines,

Another object of the invention is to provide new and improved means forcold weather starting of internal combustion engines comprising animmersion type electric water heater and means to connect said heaterpermanently in the engine block.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing specification and drawings, of which FIG. 1 is a sectionalview of an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a flange mounted embodiment of theinvention.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 3.

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 show another embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the figures, there is shown an engine block 1 whichcontains the cooling water 2 for the engine. Most engines have a coreaperture 3 in the water jacket of the engine block. This aperture may bethreaded and is normally closed by a threaded or other plug. The presentinvention comprises an immersion type electric water heater 4 of theCalrod type which is adapted to be inserted in the core aperture 3 bymeans of a connector unit 5. The connector unit 5 is generallycylindrical in shape and has an internal thread 6 which is adapted toreceive the external threads 7 on the water heater base 4'. The innerportion of the connector 5 has external threads 8 which are adapted toscrew into the threads 9 on the core aperture of the engine block 1.Just behind the internal threads 8 is an annular groove 10 which isadapted to receive an O-ring gasket -11 which may be of neoprene.

To insert, the block is drained and the core plug removed. The threadsand gasket are preferably coated with gasket cement and the connectorand heater are screwed in. The dimensions of the shoulder 10 arearranged so that the neoprene gasket fits over the center line of thethreads 8 and 9. If the engine block aperture is not threaded a togglebolt mounting may be used. If there is interference inside the engineblock the heating element may be bent or curved. The water heater may beconventional immersion electric water heater of the Calrod or equivalenttype used in hot water heating systems.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show a flange mounted heater and heater base 4" connectedto a mounting flange 14. This heater may be flange mounted on theconnector 5' without the necessity of the internal threads 7. The flangemounting may be by means of bolts in four mounting holes 15, 16, 17, 18in the flange 14 with corresponding tapped mounting holes in theconnector ring 5". The connector 5' is otherwise similar to connector 5of FIG. 1 except the internal threads are not necessary.

The heater unit has a pair of screw contacts 23, '24 to connect anexternal electric cord 19 with a conventional electrical socket '20. Theheating coil is preferably rated in the neighborhood of 1,000 watts andvolts as that is generally the most convenient voltage supply. Theheater is preferably connected to an electric cable 19 having a lengthsufficient to mount plug 20 at its other end at some convenient place inthe vehicle, for instance in the cab or on a bumper bracket so that theconnection can be made without opening the engine cover. A conventionalextension cable may be used to connect the heater with any convenientelectric outlet. A ground wire may be added if desired by using a threecontact plug.

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 show means for inserting the heater 4 in an unthreadedaperture 26 in the engine block 1. In this embodiment the heaterelements 4 are mounted through a flange 27 which is larger than theaperture 26. The heater element 4 extends from the flange 27 through athick rubber member 28 of substantially the same thickness as the wall 1and through a thin washer 29. This assembly is held together by means ofthe threaded brackets 30, 31 and the nuts 30', 31'. The threadedbrackets have screw driver slots 30a and 31a which are lined up with theright angle extension portion 30b (FIG. 7). The purpose of this is thatafter the assembly has been inserted in the aperture 26, a screw driveris inserted in the slot 30a and the member 30 is rotated so that theextension portion 30b extends beyond the inside lip of the aperture 26.Therefore, as the bracket is held in this position by the screw driverthe nuts are tightened up and the extension portions 30b grip the insideof the engine block and squeeze the rubber member 28 so that itcompletely seals the aperture 26 in the block 1.

Many modifications may be made by those who desire to practice theinvention without departing from the scope thereof which is defined bythe following claim.

I claim:

Preheating means for internal combustion engines of Water heater havinga base, an elongated heating portion connected to the inner end of saidbase, a mounting flange connected to the outer end of said base, meansto removably connect said heater into the block of said engine so thatsaid heater is immersed in the water in said block comprising aconnector member, said connector member having an open ended passagethrough which said heater extends into said water jacket, an externallythreaded portion on the inner end of said connector adapted to beinserted in said threaded cored aperture in said engine block, sealingmeans between the inner end of said connector and the portion of saidblock surrounding said core aperture, a continuous annular lip on theouter end of said connector, said lip extending transversely 'to thelongitudinal axis of said passage, means to rotatably position saidheater to avoid internal obstructions in said engine block interferingwith said elongated heater comprising an annular flange rotatablymounted on said connector on the inner side of said lip, sealing meansbetween said mounting flange and the outer end of said connector, meansto connect said mounting flange to said rotatable flange whereby saidheater may be positioned inside said engine block in a water tightmanner.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,079,320 11/13Baker 219-208 X 1,227,529 5/ 17 Clarke 219-208 1,376,209 4/21 Kuhn et a1219-523 X 1,553,026 9/25 Brown 219-335 X 2,618,731 11/52 Bremer 219-3362,783,352 2/57 McKay 219-208 X FOREIGN PATENTS 94,924 6/ 22 Switzerland.498,928 1/ 39 Great Britain.

RICHARD M. WOOD, Primary Examiner.

20 MAX L. LEVY, ANTHONY BARTIS, Examiner s.

